Chris’s Comments (group member since May 12, 2018)

Chris’s comments from the What's the Name of That Book??? group.

No not Wilbur Smith. I don't think it was a well-known book, or written by a well-known author. I think there were both white and black characters in it, but I don't remember the plot

I think I read this novel around 1990 (give or take a year or two). It was set in Africa - possibly South Africa - I think in 19th century. I don't remember character names, but one character is a big African man, and there is a scene where this man is with a female character, and he is stroking her breasts and belly, "breath calm". The cover had an animal skull of some kind on it, though it is not overly large

What I'm seeking is one of the books in Richard S Wheeler's Skye's West series of westerns that contains a line spoken by the main character's Indian wife - "they shat in the river"!

Juck checked - this is the one, many thanks from Yorkshire UK! 😃

I think this might be the one! Who is the author?

I have looked at this one, but do not think it's the one I remember, though it is similar. I think the one I'm after had more actors featured in it than the Parish book, and some of them were not what you could call 'the greats' (George Montgomery was featured).

Thank you! I've had a look at this but don't think this is the one. From what I remember, the book I'm looking for is similar to Great Western Stars by James Robert Parish, but I think lists more actors than that one, and not just the all-time greats. I think it had small black and white photos and lists of the westerns each actor appeared in. I remember the cover having a photo of Clint Eastwood on horseback ☺️

Had a good look at this, and think it is not the one after all. What I remember are brief paragraphs about the western actors, followed by lists of their westerns. One actor that I know was included was George Montgomery, who isn't featured in this book. And it was a hardback with a picture of Clint Eastwood on the cover, with much blue sky in the image ☺️

It is possible that this is the one. It would be great if I could see some of the pages. I'm pretty sure my copy was a hardback but it was a long time ago. I'll reserve judgement for the moment, but thank you very much for this ☺️

Thanks, I'll check this out! ☺️

Read about early 1980s, a book with short bios of western movie actors accompanied by lists of the westerns they made. Some of the bios had a photo of the actor. Hardback, and had photo of Clint Eastwood on the cover, which I think had a lot of blue in it

I found it! it was The Shooter by Paul A Hawkins!

I didn't find it, alas!

I think it was mainly white, or light coloured anyway, possibly with a man with a gun featured. There was a photo on the back cover of the author, who looked to be in his 60s, with grey hair

There was a romance in the book but I think it was more of a conventional western - a very good one! I'll take a look at Leigh Greenwood though, thank you

I see - thanks Kate!

How do you do that?

Kris, it was a conventional adult western. I don't remember too much about the characters. The young man who fought the Indians was definitely one of the main ones. I think he liked a lady in the wagon train, but the book wasn't overly romantic. It was an adventurous story. I remember that the person who saw the 'spirit horse' was a white man, not an Indian. Sorry I don't remember too much more!

A western, with a mystical element, there is some sort of 'spirit horse' that one of the characters sees. There is a wagon train with settlers. A rather undistinguished you man who joins the train at one point is fighting Indians, for the lives of women. The author's first name might be Robert. Possibly written in the 1990s, but not sure

The book I want to locate is a historical novel set in the American West just after the Civil War (1860s). Main character is a young man who was involved in guerrilla fighting among southern sympathisers, and modifies a gun to make it more accurate. He has a girl, but for some reason has to run away to the West. He has a brief relationship with a widow in Abilene and becomes well known as a gunfighter., From there I can't remember too much except that at the end of the story he manages to leave behind his reputation and is reunited with his lady from back home. I think the author was an elderly man, and that his name might have included 2 initials, as in x y smith. I read this book some time in the early 2000s.